The newest branch of Siouxland Libraries scheduled for completion in summer 2013 now has a name. “Prairie West Branch Library” was the name recommended by the Siouxland Libraries Board of Trustees and approved by the Sioux Falls City Council on December 5, 2011. The new 15,000-square-foot branch library will be located in Memorial Park near Discovery Elementary School and Memorial Middle School.

At their November 9, 2011, regular meeting, the Siouxland Libraries Board of Trustees unanimously approved a recommendation to the City Council to name the westside branch “Prairie West Branch Library.” Up to and including the vote by the Board of Trustees, the naming process was blind, in that no names were attached to the submissions during the review process. Only after the name was selected did the process reveal that Rusty Braden of Sioux Falls submitted the name “Prairie West.” Braden was recognized at the City Council meeting on December 5, 2011, when the City Council unanimously approved the resolution naming the new branch “Prairie West Branch Library.”

The Siouxland Libraries Board of Trustees used a selection committee composed of community members to solicit suggestions and make a recommendation to the board. Residents of Minnehaha County were invited to submit name suggestions and explain the significance of the name in 100 words or less. Venues for soliciting suggestions included printed forms and posters at all Siouxland Libraries locations, online submission forms via the library website, email submissions, written suggestions, the Mayor’s Listening and Learning session on October 22, a public meeting at Discovery Elementary School on October 25, various media notices, and website information.

The selection committee received and reviewed 118 name submissions. Within the City code guidelines, the committee considered various factors for naming this new library. Through a process of narrowing the submissions to arrive at the consensus, the selection committee presented two names to the Library Board for consideration: “Memorial Park Branch Library” and “Prairie West Branch Library.”

“Prairie, the West, and location in town were common elements in many of the name suggestions,” said Mary Johns, Siouxland Libraries Director. “People expressed a sense of pride in our prairie history and tied that to the library in their considerations.”

Selection committee members were Dean Karsky, City Councilor; Cindy Heiberger, Minnehaha County Commissioner; Tim Gebhart, Library Board Member; Anne Williams, Sioux Falls School District representative; Kassie Friese, Roosevelt High School representative; Don Kearney, Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Director; and Mary Johns, Siouxland Libraries Director.

The Siouxland Libraries Board of Trustees wishes to thank the Siouxland community for their interest and participation in naming the new branch, which will be the 13th Siouxland Libraries physical facility. In addition to buildings, residents are served by the children’s bookmobile and the virtual library at www.siouxlandlib.org.

For more information, contact Siouxland Libraries at 367-8702